Why do you wanna live in China? (Because I love China)

hadleyj09  Jan 08, 2014 Comments(70)

FIRST: SHOUT OUTS TO EVERYONE WHO GAVE ME SUPPORTSo recently.......very, very recently,I was asked, "Joel, why the hell are you in China?"I was like, "what do you mean?"He talked about how racism in China, and that if he was me, he would not be able to handle it.All I said was that no matter what, in every country I will always face racism, and ... Read More>>

Complaining Makes Us All Look Bad

hadleyj09  Jul 28, 2014 Comments(58)

Throughout my time here in China, I have always wondered why so many people who come to teach in China tend to not like it. I hear so many people who comment on my posts about how there are so many bad things going on in China, and how China should become a better country. Well, here’s the thing. You’re here for a reason and the fact ... Read More>>

China: Life Is Great Here

hadleyj09  May 15, 2014 Comments(34)

It's been nearly 9 months since I've started living in China. The only thing I can say is that it has truly been an adventure. One thing is certain, not once have I ever thought of China as a bad place to work or live. This is a great country with so much opportunity. Actually, the amount of success and freedom here seems unrealistic. What do I ... Read More>>

A (RANT-ish) Blog: Teaching in China

hadleyj09  Jun 12, 2014 Comments(33)

If you’re here to teach, then TEACH (RANT) People come to China as English teachers for a various number of reasons. Some come to escape from home, to make money, to travel throughout China and Asia, or they come here on a whim and hope for the best. All of these reasons, in my opinion, are legit for being here. However, if you are here as ... Read More>>

We Must Protect the Chinese Youth from Being Lured By ISIS ^Featured

thabet_sava  May 22, 2015 Comments(32)

Being a Muslim author and educator, I have been. Frequently, asked by some of my students about ISIS and why it is becoming a fixture in the Western as well as the Chinese media. I attempted to explain to them that ISIS has nothing to do with Islam or its principles. I realized that due to the extensive coverage of the movement, most youth ... Read More>>

Teaching Rant

coineineagh  Nov 23, 2013 Comments(32)

The blog below is an edited version of something I prepared a few months back, in case the manager mentioned below actually made good on his threats. But I've since reconciled with him,and am still working in this unsafe situation. I often ask myself why I continue to put myself at risk for the company. Hopefully an opportunity will present ... Read More>>

The Content of My Character

chamaflauge  May 31, 2013 Comments(31)

The Content of My Character: In China the Resume is Only Skin Deep The HR department of Web International English called me 3 times this morning. I missed all 3 calls due to my busy schedule. When I checked my email there was also a formal letter from them requesting an interview with me, and even asked if I could make it this very afternoon. ... Read More>>

Laoshi! Laoshi! ^Featured

stephd1986  Mar 10, 2015 Comments(27)

So having now been living and working in Wuhan for the past five months there are certain aspects to this teaching malarkey that I have now become accustomed to; when before they nearly had me running for the hills of Tibet! The first aspect that has taken me some getting used to has to be the decibels that the students are able to produce on a ... Read More>>

China: First Year Finished

hadleyj09  Jul 03, 2014 Comments(27)

Looks like I have survived just about a year in China, and life has been interesting. There have been many things I have learned about being an adult outside of my own country. The number one thing I have learned is that I am the foreigner. That may seem obvious, but if you are ever looking to live in another country, that is what you must ... Read More>>

Are You Finally Ready To Take The Leap?

mike695ca  Apr 21, 2014 Comments(26)

There is nothing wrong with being an English Teacher. They were some of the best years of my life. I enjoyed the work and the lifestyle and I was lucky enough to have a job that paid me a salary that I felt was fair. People teach in China for various reasons and stay for various lengths of time and if anyone is happy with their situation then ... Read More>>

China is NOT a bad place to be (RANT)

hadleyj09  May 15, 2014 Comments(25)

So many foriengers who have claimed to have been living in China for years are continuously complaining about how bad China is. Why are they still here after years of complaining? Look at the positives about living here. There are issues, and there are things that irritate me, but no there's no reason to complain all the time. I can see the ... Read More>>

The Staring Games: Chinese Child Vs. The Adult Foreigner

Coffaholic  Jul 17, 2013 Comments(25)

It happened in Pizza Hut (not a proud place to eat in China I know, but…). I was nibbling away on a greasy pizza crust when I got that all-too familiar feeling of someone staring at me. I’m used to being looked at and don’t usually pay attention but my tolerance was low that day and I just wanted to eat my pizza in peace ... Read More>>

Going to Shanghai ^Featured

nzteacher80  Jul 12, 2015 Comments(24)

My friend and I decided to take a trip to Shanghai to experience the big city. I have been to Shanghai about four or five times but my friend had never been. We planned a three day holiday to take in the sights, experience the night life and do some shopping.Shanghai is a three hour bus ride from the town where I work and live. I usually dread ... Read More>>

Top 8 Ways to Improve Your Chinese Spoken Language ^Featured

eloise1  May 04, 2015 Comments(24)

Whether it’s to impress your mates by directing the cab driver to the next bar, having a conversation at a work banquet, or bargaining for the best price in a Chinese market, it helps to speak some Chinese. It could help you score extra points with the boss, your mates, or that cute girl you’re trying to impress. Besides the usual ... Read More>>

First day in China ^Featured

roroneill  Jan 20, 2015 Comments(24)

I arrived in Shanghai's Pudong Airport in late August wearing too many clothes, carrying too much luggage and with two hours too many ahead of me on the metro. I stood on the train in a sweaty daze trying not to take up too much room with my many bags and my long Western body. I looked around and everyone around looked at me. The first thing ... Read More>>

I Can't Get Past the Driving

sethbarham.esl  Feb 13, 2014 Comments(24)

What can I say about the driving here? Well. Cracks knuckles. ARRRGGGGHHH. Sorry, that was my pent-up inner monologue from the past 5 months escaping. The driving in China is something that – on any given day – never fails to infuriate me on a small level, even after generally enjoying myself here for the past 5 months. I ... Read More>>

5 Things I Have Learned In China

hadleyj09  Dec 26, 2013 Comments(24)

5 Things China has taught me 1. Be humble. People here will spend their hard earned money (at times) to make sure that I have a comfortable life here, which leads into #2. 2. Share. Sharing is not taught to us in America, at least not as much as it should be. People share all the time here, and it really makes you feel better when you do share. ... Read More>>

Chinese Self-Perception

Samsara  May 31, 2013 Comments(24)

Chinese Self-Perception by Samsara When a Chinese person asks you for your impressions of their culture, they already have an image in their mind of what their culture is, and they are not expecting to update or expand it. They would like you to confirm their existing beliefs, and nothing else. They need to be reassured that Chinese food is ... Read More>>

China Pakistan Relations.

Khurram786  Jun 03, 2014 Comments(21)

China–Pakistan relations began in 1950 when Pakistan was among the first countries to end official diplomatic relations with theRepublic of China on Taiwan and recognize the PRC. Since then, both countries have placed considerable importance on the maintenance of an extremely close and supportive relationship. Since then, the two ... Read More>>

Going to Hospital ^Featured

nzteacher80  Jun 05, 2015 Comments(20)

In my first few months in China it seemed as though every second bowel movement was an emergency. I’d often find myself at the end of the day lugging bags of shopping up several flights of stairs to my appartment only to drop the shopping outside the door. I would then feverishly fidget with the keys while crossing my legs in an attempt ... Read More>>

Learn Chinese language and culture-Taboo 1

ohmygod  Dec 12, 2014 Comments(19)

Once you set foot on foreign soil, you’ll have to know the culture of the new land and adapt yourself to those unique customs. Along with the customs comes the subject of taboos which one should avoid at all cost. So what are the taboos in China? Follow us and you will learn a taboo every day. Taboo1. Never wear a Green Hat “Green ... Read More>>

Journey to China and a new life

IslandBoy77  May 18, 2014

It never ceases to amaze me how life can change in "the blink of an eye" or on the strength of a simple sentence. Indeed, when my ex-wife said to me early last year "I'm leaving you", I had no idea of the profound changes her words would bring, or the opportunities that would open as a result of her actually walking out the door. Indeed, it was ... Read More>>

Why it’s getting harder to marry now

Erichu  Jan 19, 2014 Comments(19)

According to Xinhua.net (prominent Chinese news network) the unmarried rate in China has increased almost 20 percent from 1995 to 2005, and this rate is still increasing in 2014. Why is it so hard for people to marry nowadays, especially in big cities such as Shanghai and Beijing? Well, lifestyle changes, cultural expectations and the thinking ... Read More>>

Being Black in China: A Student's unique perspective

DumpsterDiver  Dec 08, 2014 Comments(18)

An article from my friends son, he’s an interesting student no doubt! ----- Black in China, something that everyone is always curious about, I want to actually give a somewhat positive experience about this topic. The funny thing is it varies so wildly from person to person that concrete data is almost impossible to find. Now, a lot of ... Read More>>

Traditional Chinese Medicine – A Scientific Explanation

hi2u  Nov 03, 2014 Comments(18)

To start off, I am not a TCM apologist or user, and I have not studied it in any meaningful detail. But I know it gets trashed a lot by people on this site and by westerners in general. I’m only interested in a scientific defense of TCM, and so I’d like to share an interesting scientific defense that I’ve read a few years ago. ... Read More>>